Morales' 3 RBIs lead Angels to skid-snapping win

Sep 27, 2009 - 11:45 PM
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif.(AP) -- With a few timely hits and a few more
timely outs by their bullpen Sunday, the Los Angeles Angels made
certain they'll welcome the Texas Rangers on Monday with a
simple formula to seal their playoff fate.

One win and they're in.

Kendry Morales homered and drove in three runs, and the Angels
snapped their first four-game losing streak of the season with a
7-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Morales had three hits and Mike Napoli also homered for the
Angels (91-64), who blew most of an early five-run lead before
hanging on for their first victory since last Monday, putting
them on the brink of their fifth AL West title in six years.

While the Angels finished up with Brian Fuentes' 45th save,
second-place Texas was simultaneously blowing a three-run lead
in the ninth inning of a 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay. Those results
reduced Los Angeles' magic number to two for clinching its third
straight division title - and probably a first-round matchup
with Boston for the third straight season.

Texas opens a four-game series at Angel Stadium on Monday night
with Tommy Hunter going against Los Angeles' Ervin Santana.

"We've never had an opportunity to clinch with the team that's
right behind us on the field with us," said Joe Saunders, who
won for the sixth time in seven starts. "It's going to be
intense, that's for sure. We control our own destiny, and we
know what's in front of us."

The Angels blew a seven-run lead during Saturday's 15-10 loss to
the A's, but Los Angeles' bullpen escaped two big late-inning
jams in this series finale. After Darren Oliver and Kevin Jepsen
both wiggled out of trouble, Fuentes coolly reclaimed the major
league saves lead.

"You want to take care of your own house, your own business, and
it's something we haven't been doing a good job of this month,"
said Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who claimed not to know his
club's magic number before the game. "It doesn't matter that the
team coming in is chasing you. We still have to play like we did
today."

Saunders (15-7) pitched six scoreless innings for Los Angeles
before falling apart in the seventh, allowing the first five
batters to reach base as Oakland trimmed the Angels' big lead to
5-3. The A's got within one run in the eighth on pinch-hitter
Adam Kennedy's sacrifice fly, but Maicer Izturis hit a two-run
double later in the inning for Los Angeles.

"They look strong to me," Kennedy said of his former team.
"Everybody's playing pretty consistent, so I think it'll be a
little different story this year. Their starting pitching is in
line, and their offense is a little stronger and a little more
mature."

Edgar Gonzalez (0-4) remained winless in six starts for the A's,
yielding seven hits and five runs in five innings. Mark Ellis
and Cliff Pennington had two hits apiece for last-place Oakland,
which had won 13 of 16 as the majors' best team in September.

"We've got a little bit to go," said Jack Cust, who struck out
against Jepsen to end the eighth. "They're a really good team
over there, and they've been on top of the division for a while.
But anytime you've got pitching like we have, with young guys
who should be around here for a while ... we can make a push."

Morales followed an RBI single in the first with a two-run homer
in the third, hitting an 0-2 pitch deep into right field for his
32nd homer. The Cuban first baseman has 102 RBIs in his first
full major league season, becoming the first Angels first
baseman to reach three digits since Mo Vaughn in 2000.

"When the season started, I kind of thought 25 (homers) and 80
(RBIs) would be good things to shoot for," Morales said through
a translator. "I'm not going to complain about overshooting
those goals."

Saunders yielded seven hits and didn't walk a batter until the
seventh. He has been outstanding since returning from a brief
stint on the disabled list to rest his left shoulder, muscling
his way back into Los Angeles' playoff rotation.

Saunders was thoroughly in control during the first six innings,
allowing just one runner to reach third base and retiring 10
straight before the seventh, when Ellis' single started a
three-run rally. Saunders was chased by Landon Powell's RBI
single, but Oliver escaped a bases-loaded jam by inducing Rajai
Davis' double-play grounder.

NOTES: The Rangers had won five straight series against Los
Angeles before the Angels took two of three last week. ...
Ellis' error on a relay throw from the outfield in the eighth
inning was Oakland's 11th error in five games. The A's have made
at least one error in a season-high nine straight games. ...
Gonzalez hit Angels LF Juan Rivera with pitches in each of his
first two plate appearances, with the second incident prompting
visible anger from Rivera.